Folding ax.



G. H. WINSHIP.

FOLDING AX.

APPLIUATION FILED DBO.14, 1912. 1,074,764.

' Patented 0ct.7, 1913.

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WITNESSES: I mvawmn gum/$ 4M llarenc'e fl. Wins/zip.

A TTUBNEY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPHICO" WASHINGTON, D. c.

FFTQE.

CLARENCE H. WINSHIF, OF SUNRISE, WYOMING.

FOLDING AX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 14, 1912.

Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

Serial No. 736,744.

vide an ax, hatchet or similar chopping tool with a foldable handle, so that the tool may be carried in'the pocket, and also to provide a shield or guardfor the cutting edge of the 'tool head when the handle is folded.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle which can. be readily folded and unfolded, and which is strong and rigid when unfolded.

. These objects are attained by a novel combination and arangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the tool with a portion of one of the handle sections removed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the handle folded. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing 10 denotes the head of the ax or other chopping tool. The handle or helve is in two sections 11 and 12, respectively, which are pivotally connected as indicated at 13. The head is secured to the section 11 in any suitable or preferred manner. The outer end of the section 12 is curved as indicated at 14; to form the grip of the handle. In the pivoted end of the section 11 is a keeper notch 15 for a sliding latch-bolt 16 carried by the section 12, whereby said sections are looked together when unfolded. The section 12 has a longitudinal recess 17 in which the latch-bolt 16 is mounted. The rear end of the latch-bolt is curved to conform to the curvature of the grip 14, and terminates in an enlargement 18 having a shoulder 19 and a transverse slot 20, through which latter a pin 21, carried by the grip, passes. The enlargement is shaped to come flush with the butt end of the grip. The inner edge of the grip, at the butt end thereof, has a recess in which is mounted a cam lever 22 which is shaped to lie flush with said edge except when it is withdrawn for a purpose to be presently described. The lever is pivoted to the grip as indicated at 23 and adjacent to the pivot,

said lever is cam-shaped and has the edge of said cam-shapedportionin contactwith the shoulder 19.

From one edge of the latch-bolt 16, intermediate the ends thereof, projects a finger or abutment 24: which is adapted to lie between the free end of the lever 22 and the adjacent wall of the recess in which said lever is mounted. A spring 25 seating in a slot 26 in the latch-bolt 16 assists to advance the latter.

When the handle sections 11 and 12 are unfolded to render the tool ready for use, the forward end of the latch-bolt 16 seats in the notch 15, and the lever 22 is folded into the grip portion 1 1 of the section 12 flush with the edge thereof. In this position the cam edge of the lever is incontact with the shoulder 19, and the finger 24 is between the free end of the lever and the adjacent wall of the recess in which said lever is mounted, whereby the latch-bolt is held in looking position and prevented from being accidentally retracted to unlock the handle sections.

To unlock the handle sections, the lever 22 is swung out of the recess in the grip 14:, whereupon its cam edge rides over the shoulder 19, and thereby forces the latch-bolt 16 rearward and thus retracts it from the notch 15. The handle sections are now unlocked, and the section 12 may be swung over toward the cutting edge of the head 10 far enough for said edge to enter the recess in which the lever 22 is mounted, said lever being left outside said recess and placed against the outer end of the head 10, where it is held by the action of the spring 25, which forces the shoulder 19 against the cam edge of the lever and thereby tends to swing the lever against the outer end of the head. Thus the parts are held in folded position, and a guard for the cutting edge of the head is had, so that the tool may be carried in the pocket without danger of unfolding.

The handle section 12 carries a cover plate 27 for the recess 17 and the parts mounted therein.

I claim:

1. In a tool, a handle having a foldable section provided with a recess in which the cutting edge of the tool-head seats when said section is folded, a latch-bolt for locking the foldable section in unfolded position, and a cam lever carried by the foldable section and engageable with the latch-bolt for re tracting the same, said cain lever being mounted in the aforesaid recess and adapted to be swung out of the same to engage the tool-head when the edge thereof is seated in said recess.

2. In a tool, a handle having a foldable section provided with a recess in which the cutting edge of the tool-head seats when said section is folded, a slidable spring-actuated latch-bolt for locking the foldable section in unfolded position, said latch-bolt having a shoulder, a cam-lever carried by the foldable section and engagea'ble with the aforesaid shoulder for retracting the latch-bolt,

said cam-lever being mounted in the aforesaid recess and adapted to be swung out of the same to engage the tool-head when the edge thereof is seated in said recess.

3. In a tool, a handle having a foldable section provided with a recess in which the cutting edge of the tool-head seats when said section is folded, a latch-bolt for locking the foldable section in unfolded position, said latch-bolt having an abutment, and a cam lever carried by the foldable section and I i ated lever being engag'eable' with the outer engageable with the latch-bolt for retracting the same, said cain lever also engaging 1 the abutment for locking the latch-bolt in p the cutting edge of the tool head.

advanced position, and said cain lever being mounted in the aforesaid recess and adapted I in presence of two wltnesses.

to be swung out of the same when the edge of the tool-head is seated in said recess.

4. In a tool, a handle having a foldable section provided with a recess in which the cutting edge of the tool-head seats when said r section is folded, a slidable spring-actuated latch-bolt for locking the foldable section in unfolded position, said latch bolt having a shoulder and an abutment, and a cam lever carried by the foldable section and engageable with the shoulder for retracting the latch-bolt, said caIn lever also engaging the. abutment for locking the latch-bolt in'ad-' head when the edge thereof is seated in said recess. a

5. In a to which the toolhead is rigidly secured,

tool, a handle comprising a section:

and a grip section, said sections being piv-;

otally connected to permit folding ofthe I grip section toward the toolhead; the grip section having a recess into which the. cutting edge of the tool head seatswhen said section is folded,a latchboltforlocking the handle sections in unfolded position, and a spring-actuated lever carried by the extreln ity of the grip section and having means for retracting the latch bolt, said spring-acm end of the tool head when the grip section of the handle is in folded position to receive In testimony whereof I afliX iny signature CLARENCE H. WVINSI-IIPQ Witnesses: f V I BERT CAROLLO,

J ornx B. ROBERTSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each; by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, ll). 0." 

